Budget White Wines for Summer Sipping

To kick off the first week of summer, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite budget white wines that you can enjoy all summer long without breaking the bank!

I’m not sure how the rest of the country’s weather is feelin’ but here in Texas, summer has arrived! We’re talking 100 degree days, thick humidity and sun, sun, sun! When the heat hits hard in Texas, all I want to do is break out the white wines and pour myself a tall glass.

In light of the summer heat, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite bottles that you can enjoy all summer long without breaking the bank! I love crisp white wines that offer up a bit of fruit and acidity. I personally favor sauvignon blancs but below I also share my favorite Chardonnay & Vinho Verde, a white wine you may not be familiar with.

First up is Oya Pointe Sauvignon Blanc from Barlborough, New Zealand. Now, I take no credit in the discovery of this wine. In fact, I happily thank Whole Foods Market’s Bar Lamar for the sampling that led me to purchase a bottle of Oya Pointe and at a steal price of only $12!

 

This wine pairs well with hearty fish, vegetables or a light pasta. It’s also great to sip on when enjoying a meal that has a bit of spice to it. <3M and I enjoyed this bottle with a lemon ricotta & Italian sausage fusilli dish, I made a few weekends ago!

The light lemon complimented the citrus notes in the wine while its crispness balanced the bites of spice from the sausage. If you can hunt it down, it’s definitely worth the buy! (And I promise, I’ll post the ricotta fusilli recipe in the near future, if you’re interested!)

Next up is Firebrand Chardonnay from California. This bottle is not like your typically Chardonnay. It is is no way buttery nor oaky — two tastes that often come to mind when you thinks of Chardonnay. This wine is crisp & clean! Similar to the above white, this Firebrand Chardonnay also pairs well with fish, veggies and pasta.

<3M and I again went the way of Italiano and paired the Firebrand Chardonnay with my Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs. The dish itself was mild and didn’t over power the lightness of the white wine on the warm summer night.

Last up, we hop over to Portugal with Nobilis Vinho Verde. If you aren’t familiar with Vinho Verde, the first thing you should know is that it has a hint of effervescence! It contains just the slightest bit of bubbles — just enough to tickle your tongue!

Vinho Verde is also pretty versatile when it comes to food pairings — like most whites, it goes great with fish, vegetables, and spicy food. But, because of it’s unique bubbly characteristic, it also makes a great dessert pairing! And this bottle is only $7 a pop!

If you’re looking for a pairing recommendation, I would try pairing the Nobilis Vinho Verde with some seafood and chimichurri sauce, I’d suggest something fancy, like grilled scallops! Or, if you want to take this wine into dessert, try it paired with this lemon pound cake. The fruit in the wine will help pick up the citrus in the pound cake!

Do you have any summer wines you’re enjoying right now? Maybe a light white like those above or a special rose? Please share, I’d love to hear about them!